Garden Chores: April

This has certainly been a different year, weather-wise. But then, last year was too…in the reverse. The winter of 2016 was very mild so plants were roughly 2 – 3 weeks ahead of normal. This year, they are more like 3 weeks behind. Mind you, the plants do “go gang busters” whenever there is some sun and warmer temperatures.

However, the extended forecast for April is filled with slightly cooler temperatures than normal and more precipitation. Keep a weather eye because some outdoor chores may need tweaking this month.

In the garden:

  • Cut Miscanthus spp. grasses back to 6 – 12 inches (15 – 30 cm) above soil level…depending on species. Shorter varieties can be cut down lower than Miscanthus sinensis var. condensatus ‘Cosmopolitan’ and M. x giganteus.
  • Keep your conifer shrubs looking nice and shapely by pruning off the new growth, or “candles”. Be careful not to prune into bare wood as no new growth will generate from that point. Also remove any winter-damaged branches, if you have not done so already.
  • Trim your climbing roses and secure them to their support structure.
  • Shrub roses are putting out small leaf buds this month so prune out any branches not showing new growth.
  • Divide late-flowering perennials…like phlox, crocosmia, and shasta daisies…whose clumps have gotten to large.
  • Spread a little lime or wood ashes around the alkaline-loving delphiniums, peonies, mock orange, clematis, Aucuba, Forsythia, Photinia, lilacs…and others. (For a more complete list of what plants, fruits, and vegetables prefer a less acidic soil, click here.)
  • Plant fruit trees now.
  • Plant summer-flowering bulbs now. If weather is still unstable, plant them in pots and keep them in the greenhouse, or somewhere under cover but where they will get light.
  • Repair any bald patches in the lawn by lightly scratching the surface and evenly sow the area with a quality grass seed. Tamp seed in gently and keep moist. A layer of grass clippings over top or some row cover will help to keep the birds away from the seed.
  • Apply a good quality mulch on the garden beds. Home-made compost is best because you know what is in it but if you do not have enough, fish compost is an excellent second choice as it is nutrient-rich and weed-free. Be careful not to get any mulch up against the trunks on shrubs and trees or bury your perennials.
  • Slugs and snails will be coming out in droves to feast on the new plant growth. Deal with them in whatever manner works for you, but be careful your choice is not harmful to children, pets, or birds.
  • Keep up with the weeding.

 

In the vegetable garden:

  • Check out Seeds to start in April in Garden Info & Tips under In the Garden on the menu bar (or click here) to see what varieties you can sow this month and when.

 

In the greenhouse:

  • If you did not get the over-wintered plants out of the greenhouse last month, it should be safe enough now.
  • Divide any potted plants which are getting too big for the pot…or pot them up one size.
  • Add some compost, or well-aged manure to each pot and scratch in some Osmocote granular fertilizer. (This is a slow-release fertilizer which will feed your potted plants throughout the season. It is the only non-organic soil additive we use.)
  • Once the greenhouse is emptied, give it a good clean from top to bottom. You want to get rid of any mold, etc before you start moving your young seedlings into the greenhouse.

 

In the compost pile:

  • Keep turning that pile. The more air you can get into the pile, the faster it will break down into rich, humusy soil amendment. This is a wonderful mulch for your garden beds but screen it first.
  • If April showers are in the monthly forecast, keep the pile covered so precious nutrients will not leach out.

 

In the tool shed:

  • Be sure to clean your tools at the end of the day…especially your pruning tools. These should be disinfected with a 10% bleach solution to prevent any chance of spreading diseases from plant to plant. I keep a small spray bottle of diluted bleach in my tool basket to spray my secateurs blades regularly while pruning.

 

Indoors:

  • Keep checking your over-wintered tender perennials. Remove any leaves that are decaying and inspect plants carefully for aphids or other pests or disease.
  • Divide any which have grown too big for their pot, or move them up one size.
  • Repot any which need to have their soil refreshed…or their roots pruned. Root pruning is one way of keeping a special plant, or a tender plant not suitable for your gardening zone in a pot indefinitely.
  • Keep an eye on the weather. Some of the hardier of your tender perennials may be able to move outdoors towards the end of the month.

Alkaline-loving Plants: Trees & Shrubs

by Leslie Cox; Friday; April 14, 2017

Most plants will do okay in most soil pH ranges…acidic, neutral, alkaline. However, soil pH does have an impact on how well a plant is able to access necessary nutrients in the soil for its optimum health. Therefore, it is advisable to provide each plant in your garden with its preferred planting conditions. Here in the Pacific Northwest, this means alkaline-loving plants need to have the soil boosted up to at least a pH 6.5…or even higher. Applying wood ashes or scratching some lime into the soil at the drip line will certainly help raise the pH for these plants.

The following list will show which trees and shrubs in your garden would like some specialized treatment.

Latin name Common name pH range
     
Acacia spp acacia; wattle 6.0 – 8.0
Acer negundo boxelder maple 6.0 – 8.0
Acer saccharum sugar maple 6.0 – 7.5
Berberis spp barberry 6.75 – 7.5
Buddleja spp butterfly bush 6.75
Buxus spp boxwood 6.75
Carya illinoinensis pecan 6.4 – 8.0
Citrus limon lemon 6.0 – 7.5
Citrus x sinensis orange 6.0 – 7.5
Clematis spp clematis 6.75
Cotoneaster sp cotoneaster 6.75
Eucalyptus spp eucalyptus 6.75
Fraxinus spp ash 6.0 – 7.5
Juglans nigra black walnut 6.0 – 8.0
Kolkwitzia amabilis beauty bush 6.0 – 7.5
Laburnum golden chain  6.75 – 7.5
Malus spp crabapple 6.0 – 7.5
Parthenocissus tricuspidata Boston ivy 6.75 – 7.5
Prunus domestica plum 6.0 – 8.0
Prunus dulcis almond tree 6.75
Pyrus spp pear 6.0 – 7.5
Rubus idaeus red raspberry 5.5 – 7.0
Salix spp willow 6.0 – 8.0
Spiraea arguta bridal wreath 6.75 – 7.5
Syringa spp lilac 6.75 – 7.0
Tilia americana basswood 6.0 – 7.5

Seeds to start in April

Indoors…

  • First week:
    • Vegetables:
      • asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, celeriac, eggplant, fennel, leeks, melons, peppers, tomatoes
    • Herbs:
      • marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, stevia, summer savory, thyme, winter savory
    • Flowers:
      • agastache, lobelia, yarrow

 

  • Second week:
    • Vegetables:
      • asparagus, cauliflower, celery, celeriac, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes
    • Herbs:
      • basil, marjoram, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, stevia summer savory, thyme, winter savory
    • Flowers:
      • agastache, lobelia, yarrow

 

  • Third week:
    • Vegetables:
      • asparagus, cauliflower, celery, celeriac, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes
    • Herbs:
      • basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, stevia, summer savory, thyme, winter savory

 

  • Fourth week:
    • Vegetables:
      • asparagus, celery, celeriac
    • Herbs:
      • basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, stevia, summer savory

 

 

Direct sow in the garden… 

  • First week:
    • Vegetables:
      • arugula, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collards, corn salad, cress, endive, Florence fennel, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustards, onions (scallions), onions (storage) Pac choi / Choi sum, parsnips, peas, radicchio, radishes, spinach, turnips
    • Herbs:
      • bergamot, borage, catnip, chamomile, chervil, cilantro, fennel, lavender, lemon balm, mint
    • Flowers:
      • calendula, celosia, clarkia, cleome, cornflowers, cosmos, delphinium, dianthus, digitalis, gaura, Lavatera (mallow), linum, lunaria, lupin, marigolds, nigella, oenothera, Papaver (poppy), phacelia, rudbeckia, saponaria, sunflowers, wallflowers

 

  • Second week:
    • Vegetables:
      • arugula, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collards, corn salad, cress, endive, Florence fennel, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustards, onions (scallions), onions (storage) Pac choi / Choi sum, parsnips, peas, radicchio, radishes, spinach, turnips
    • Herbs:
      • bergamot, borage, catnip, chamomile, chervil, cilantro, fennel, lavender, lemon balm, lovage, mint
    • Flowers:
      • calendula, celosia, clarkia, cleome, cornflowers, cosmos, delphinium, dianthus, digitalis, gaura, Lavatera (mallow), linum, lunaria, lupin, marigolds, nasturtiums, nigella, oenothera, Papaver (poppy), phacelia, rudbeckia, saponaria, strawflower, sunflowers, wallflowers

 

  • Third week:
    • Vegetables:
      • arugula, beets, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collards, cress, endive, Florence fennel, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustards, onions (scallions), onions (storage) Pac choi / Choi sum, parsnips, peas, quinoa, radicchio, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard, turnips
    • Herbs:
      • bergamot, borage, catnip, chamomile, chervil, chives, cilantro, fennel, lavender, lemon balm, lovage, mint, parsley
    • Flowers:
      • calendula, celosia, clarkia, cleome, cornflowers, cosmos, delphinium, dianthus, digitalis, gaura, helenium, iberis, Lavatera (mallow), linum, marigolds, nasturtiums, nigella, oenothera, Papaver (poppy), phacelia, rudbeckia, saponaria, snapdragons, statice, stocks, strawflower, sunflowers, sweet peas, tithonia, veronica

 

  • Fourth week:
    • Vegetables:
      • arugula, beets, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collards, cress, endive, Florence fennel, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustards, onions (scallions), onions (storage) Pac choi / Choi sum, parsnips, peas, quinoa, radicchio, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard, turnips
    • Herbs:
      • borage, catnip, chamomile, chervil, cilantro, fennel, lavender, lemon balm, mint, parsley
    • Flowers:
      • calendula, celosia, clarkia, cleome, cornflowers, cosmos, delphinium, dianthus, digitalis, gaura, helenium, iberis, Lavatera (mallow), linum, marigolds, nasturtiums, nigella, oenothera, Papaver (poppy), phacelia, rudbeckia, saponaria, snapdragons, statice, stocks, strawflower, sunflowers, sweet peas, tithonia, veronica

 

Transplant into the garden…

  • First week:
    • Herbs:
      • chives, lemon balm
    • Flowers:
      • helenium, hollyhock, iberis, nicotiana, snapdragons, statice, stocks, sweet peas, tithonia, veronica, viola

 

  • Second week:
    • Herbs:
      • chives, lemon balm
    • Flowers:
      • columbine, helenium, hollyhock, iberis, nicotiana, snapdragons, statice, stocks, sweet peas, tithonia, veronica, viola

 

  • Third week:
    • Vegetables:
      • cauliflower
    • Herbs:
      • marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, winter savory
    • Flowers:
      • alyssum, asclepias, columbine, helenium, hollyhock, iberis, nicotiana, physalis, scabiosa, stocks, sweet peas, tithonia, veronica, viola

 

  • Fourth week:
    • Vegetables:
      • cauliflower, onions (sweet)
    • Herbs:
      • bergamot, lovage, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, winter savory
    • Flowers:
      • alyssum, asclepias, columbine, gaillardia, hollyhock, iberis, nicotiana, physalis, scabiosa

 

 

 

Posted on April 8, 2017

Plants which attract pollinators

by Leslie Cox; Thursday; March 16, 2017

I have always been surprised when people tell me they do not have any bees in their garden. We always have oodles of pollinators flitting about our yard. Probably the biggest reason is we have lots, and lots of plants! The other reason is we do not use any chemicals in our garden.

So…if you want to attract bees into your garden…first off, stop using chemicals, if you use them. Secondly, check out the following list of some of the plants we have in our garden which attract bees, butterflies, beetles, and other pollinators. It is by no means complete. There are many, many more plants which are good pollinator attractors.

Just remember…buy for scent (which means it will lure insects) and do not use any sprays stronger than a mild solution of soap and water. If you must spray your fruit trees or other plants with horticultural oil for pest infestations, try to do it when there are no pollinators out and about.

Abelia
Acanthus spp. – bear’s breeches
Allium spp.
Anemone nemerosa – wood anemone
Angelica archangelica
Anthriscus sylvestris
Aquilegia spp. – columbine
Arabis spp. – rock cress
Aronia melanocarpa – chokeberry
Asclepias tuberosa – butterfly weed
Asphodeline lutea – king’s spear
Astilbe spp.
Astrantia spp. – masterwort
Baptisia australis
Bellis perinnis
Berberis
Borago officinalis – borage
Brunnera macrophylla – bugloss
Buddleja spp. – butterfly bush
Calendula
Calluna spp. – heather
Calthus palustrus – marsh marigold
Camassia quamash
Campanula spp. – bellflower
Centranthus rubra – red valerian
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides – dwarf plumbago
Cerinthe major – honeywort
Chelone obliqua – turtlehead
Choisya spp. – Mexican mock orange
Clarkia amoena – godetia
Cleome hasselriana – spider flower
Clethra alnifolia
Colchicum autumnale – autumn crocus
Consolida ajacis – hyacinthe
Convallaria majalis – lily of the valley
Cotoneaster spp.
Crocosmia
Crocus
Cyclamen coum
Daphne spp.
Darmera peltata – umbrella plant
Delphinium spp.
Deutzia scabra
Dianthus spp. – pink
Digitalis spp. – foxglove
Dodecatheon meadia
Doronicum orientale – leopard’s bane
Echinacea spp. – coneflower
Enkianthus campanulatus
Epimedium spp. – bishop’s hat
Eranthus hyemalis – winter aconite
Eremurus stenophyllus – foxtail lily
Erica spp. – heather
Erodium – heronsbill
Eryngium spp. – sea holly
Erysimum spp. – wallflower
Erythronium revolutum – fawn lily
Eupatorium spp. – Joe Pye weed
Filipendula spp. – meadowsweet
Foeniculum vulgare – fennel
Forthysia
Fothergilla gardenia
Fragaria – strawberry
Francoa sonchifolia – Chilean maiden’s wreath
Galanthus nivalis – snowdrop
Galega officinalis – French lilac
Galium odoratum – sweet woodruff
Gaura lindheimeri
Gaura spp.
Gentiana spp.
Geranium spp. – hardy geranium
Geum spp. – avens
Helenium
Helianthemum nummularium
Heliopsis helianthoides – false sunflower
Heliotrope
Helleborus spp. – hellebore, Lenten rose
Hemerocallis spp. – daylily
Hepatica nobilis
Hesperis matronalis – dame’s rocket
Heuchera spp. – coral bells
Hibiscus
Hosta spp.
Humulus lupulus – hops
Hypericum perforatum – St. John’s wort
Hyssopsus officinalis – hyssop
Iberis sempervirens – candy tuft
Incarvillea delavayi – hardy gloxinia
Indigofera heterantha – false indigo
Iris spp.
Itea virginica – sweetspire
Kerria japonica – Japanese rose
Kirengeshoma palmate – yellow waxbell
Kniphofia
Kolkwitzia amabilis – beauty bush
Lagerstroemia – crape myrtle
Lathyrus odorata – sweet pea
Lavandula spp. – lavender
Lavatera spp.
Leonurus cardiac – motherwort
Levisticum officinale – lovage
Lewisia cotyledon
Leycesteria formosa – pheasant berry
Liatris spicata – gayfeather
Lilium spp.
Limnanthes – poached egg
Linaria
Lithodora
Lobularia maritima – syn. Alyssum maritima
Lonicera spp. – honeysuckle
Lunaria annua – moneywort
Lupines spp. – lupine
Lychnis chalcedonica – Maltese cross
Lysimachia spp.
Mahonia – Oregon grape
Malva spp.
Melissa officinalis – lemon balm
Mentha spp. – mint
Mertensis virginica – Virginia bluebell
Monarda spp. – bee balm
Muscari latifolium – grape hyacinthe
Myrrhis odorata – sweet cicely
Narcissus spp. – daffodil
Nepeta x faasenii – catmint
Nicotiana alata – white flower variety, not coloured hybrids
Nigella damascene – love-in-a-mist
Oenothera fruticosa – evening primrose
Origanum spp. – oregano & marjoram
Osteospormum jucundum – cape daisy
Paeonia spp. – peony
Papaver spp. – poppy
Penstemon spp.
Perovskia atriplicifolia – Russian sage
Persicaria bistorta – pink bistort
Philadelphus coronatrius – mock orange
Phlomis spp. – Jerusalem sage
Phlox spp.

Phuopsis stylosa – Caucasian crossword
Phygelius x rectus
Physocarpus spp. – ninebark
Pieris spp.
Plectranthus oertendahlii – Swedish ivy
Polemonium spp. – Jacob’s ladder
Polygonatum odoratum – Solomon’s seal
Potentilla
Primula spp.
Prunus x cisterna – sand cherry
Pulmonaria spp. – lungwort
Pyracanth
Ranunculus
Rhododendron spp.
Ribes sanguineum – flowering currant
Rodgersia spp.
Rosa spp. – rose, scented varieties
Rosmarinus officinalis – rosemary
Rudbeckia spp. – black-eyed Susan
Rumex sanguinea – red-veined sorrel
Ruta graveolens – rue
Salvia spp.
Sambucus spp. – elderberry
Sanguisorba – burnet
Satureja – savory
Scabiosa
Scrophularia – water figwort
Sedum spp.
Sempervivum spp.
Silene – catchfly
Skimmia japonica
Smyrnium olusatrum – black Alexander
Solidago spp. – goldenrod
Sorbus – ash
Spiraea
Stachys byzantine – lamb’s ears
Syringa – lilac
Tagetes spp. – marigold
Tanacetum parthenium – feverfew
Thalictrum spp. – meadow rue
Thymus spp. – thyme
Tiarella – foam bells
Tradescantia
Tricyrtis hirtis – toad lily
Tropaeoleum majus – nasturtium
Tulipa – tulip
Vaccinium spp. – blueberry
Valeriana officinalis – valerian
Verbascum – mullein
Verbena
Veronica spp.
Viburnum spp.
Viola spp.
Weigela spp.
Wisteria

Garden Chores: March

by Leslie Cox; Sunday; March 5, 2017

Well…after I stated “we were on a roll” heading into February’s garden chore list because of those few nice days in January, we have been pretty much at a dead stop through most of last month. Pretty hard to tackle many outdoor chores with so much white stuff on the ground. In light of the weather, and being so far behind on the chores now, I will relent and not add any more to the already long list.

Here is an amended list for March:

In the garden:

  • Finish pruning your fruit trees, grape vines, and cane fruits…raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and currants.
  • Once the fruits are pruned, spray with horticultural oil (dormant oil) when there is a dry window of at least 24 hours and temperatures are above freezing. But only treat those fruit plants which had pest or disease problems last year…like forest tent caterpillars or pear trellis rust. (Info about forest tent caterpillars – click here. Info about pear trellis rust – click here.)
  • Prune your summer-flowering shrubs…spirea, weigela, choisya, etc.
  • Cut Miscanthus spp. grasses back to 6 – 12 inches (15 – 30 cm)…depending on species. Smaller ones can be cut down lower than ‘Cosmopolitan’ and M. x giganteus.
  • Be forewarned…some grasses are cut back and others are left alone. Some examples are: cut back Carex elata ‘Aurea’ (Bowles’ golden sedge) but leave Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’ alone. As there are quite a few sedges, look yours up to see if it should be pruned…or not.
  • Time to prune some of those clematis vines…and this is another genus where it really helps to know which one you have as all clematis are assigned to one of three groups and each group has a different pruning criteria. (More info about clematis groups and their pruning needs here.)
  • Keep up with the weeding.

In the vegetable garden:

  • Check out Seeds to start in March in Garden Info & Tips under In the Garden on the menu bar (or click here) to see what varieties you can sow this month and when.

In the greenhouse:

  • Keep checking for possible insect infestations or diseases on your over-wintered plants.
  • As soon as the weather starts to warm up…and stay reasonably warm…you can start bringing your plants out of their winter storage.
  • Once the greenhouse is emptied, give it a good clean from top to bottom. You want to get rid of any mold, etc before you start moving your young seedlings into the greenhouse.

In the compost pile:

  • Keep turning the pile. If you have some rich humousy compost, you can screen it into a spare bin until you are ready to spread it around your plants and top dress your beds.
  • Be sure to cover the pile so rain will not leach out precious nutrients.

In the tool shed:

  • Be sure to clean your tools at the end of the day…especially your pruning tools. These should be disinfected with a 10% bleach solution to prevent any chance of spreading diseases from plant to plant. I have a small spray bottle of diluted bleach which I keep in my tool basket so I can spray the blades of my secateurs regularly while I am pruning.

Indoors:

  • Keep checking your over-wintered tender perennials. Remove any leaves that are decaying and inspect plants carefully for aphids or other pests or disease.
  • Check the soil moisture in the pots. Only water when the soil has started to dry out for a few days.
  • If you use wood heat, watch your houseplants do not suffer from too much dry heat. Stick them in the shower for a brief wash-down once a month, or mist them regularly with a spray bottle filled with water.

 

Posted on March 5, 2017

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